Guam - It appears the Department of Education may be making progress with obligating $60 million in American Reinvestment and Recovery Act funding by the end of September. According to DOE interim superintendent Taling Taitano, all protest appeals that went before the Office of the Public Auditor have been addressed and all designs for upcoming projects will be complete by the end of the week.

Taitano anticipates all bids to be out by April, with leftover money to be spent on air conditioners. Taitano adds that the Legislature is also working to help speed spending by introducing bills that expedite appeal procedures for DOE, as well as open up opportunities to recruit the help of the Guam Economic Development Authority.